Skift Take

The Stanford Court Hotel’s Google Glass Explorer Package puts a new twist on touring like a local, and it should do well with techy visitors. A talk on how to use Google Glass without trampling on other people’s privacy is a nice touch for those who want to avoid bar rights and other altercations.

The Google Glass Explorer package, offered by the Stanford Court Hotel, in the Nob Hill district of San Francisco, includes two nights stay during which time guests will be given a tutorial on how to use the gadget, including tips on avoiding being a so-called “glasshole” — otherwise known as an annoying Google Glass user.

Guests can also compete to take the best pictures of San Francisco and upload them to social networks using the device.

The hotel had already offered free drinks to any guest who already owned a Google Glass device in March this year after a Glass wearer was attacked in San Francisco, prompting debate about whether the device is antisocial if worn in bars and cafes.

Google Glass is a tiny, head-mounted computer that allows you to take pictures, video and learn more about where you are “hands free”. The current cost of the kit is a whopping US$1,500 (£894). The two-night Google Glass package at the hotel starts at US$199 (£119).

San Francisco is known for its tech-savvy community: It is the home of Twitter’s headquarters and just up the road from Palo Alto, home to many tech startups.

As such, in the past 12 months many of the city’s older, stuffier hotels are attempting to re-brand and renovate to suit a new type of guest, one who is more interested in artisan coffee, craft beer, tech bars and checking in on an iPad than traditional hotel facilities.

Hotel Zetta, another in San Francisco, offers guests an interactive lobby, including Macbooks, Wii games and a giant Plinko game wall. Stanford Court is undergoing a gradual refurbishment over the course of this year.

Michael Baier, general manager of Stanford Court, says the Google Glass package and renovation of the hotel is designed to give guests “a glimpse at what it’s like living in the Bay Area”.